1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glass handling system and method for using the same to engage and move a glass sheet.
2. Description of Related Art
Today when a glass sheet (e.g., liquid crystal display (LCD) glass sheet) is manufactured a robot is often used to move the glass sheet from one point to another point in a glass manufacturing facility. The robot typically has an end effector which uses suction cups to engage and hold the outside edges or non-quality area of the glass sheet. The suction cups need to engage the glass sheet on the outer edges because if they contact the glass sheet in the center portion of quality area then unacceptable defects or contamination would be created in the glass sheet.
However, as customers require larger and larger glass sheets it becomes increasingly more difficult for the robot to engage and move the glass sheet without causing motion in the center portion of the glass sheet. The motion in the center portion of the glass sheet is caused because there is a long, unsupported span in the middle of the glass sheet that is supported by the suction cups on the moving robot. Of course, the glass sheet can possibly break or even fall off the suction cups if the robot causes too much motion in the glass sheet. One way to minimize the motion in the glass sheet is to limit the speed of the robot. A drawback of this approach is that a large cycle time is required by the robot to move the glass sheet from one point to another point in the glass manufacturing facility. Accordingly, there is a need for a glass handling system that has an enhanced robot which can engage and hold the glass sheet in a manner that minimizes the motion of the glass sheet as it is moved from one point to another point in the glass manufacturing facility. This need and other needs are satisfied by the glass handling system and method of the present invention.